


The Reason To Win

by reigenonice (TardisType221b)



Category: Sword Art Online, ワンパンマン | One-Punch Man
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Alternate Universe - Sword Art Online Fusion, Alternate Universe - Video Game World, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Crossover, Day 2 Saigenos Week, Human Genos, M/M, Self-Esteem Issues, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-03-21
Packaged: 2018-05-28 01:07:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,334
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6307993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisType221b/pseuds/reigenonice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i> "Saitama-sensei...tomorrow we will beat this boss and when we wake up I will find you and I will show you just how much you mean to me." </i>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>In a world where dying is the only thing that is real, Genos is an average player just looking to get back to his family and Saitama is an 'Immortal Object' who doesn't want to leave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Reason To Win

Genos had waited for so long and now here he was. They were on the hundredth floor waiting for the sun to rise once more for the next day to come so that they could defeat the final boss. Saitama-sensei had told him to get some sleep but that was almost impossible. All he could think about was getting back to his family, about finally being free!

The only thing that held him back was the fact that he was _happy_ here. Saitama-sensei was everything to him, he had taught him everything he had learned and made Genos into a much better player than he had ever been. He kept him company and protected him.

Also in the game, he had everything he could ever need. A roof over his head, clothes on his back, food in his stomach. He didn't have to work two jobs and go to school to support his family, at only seventeen years old. He had a _life_ here, something that wasn't constantly working just to get enough money to survive.

But it wasn't real.

None of this was.

This was what he had to remember.

He wasn't doing this for himself, he was doing this for his family. How would they have enough to survive without him working? It had been two long years since he had seen them, he was an adult now, and god did he miss them. His mother, father and sister, what were they like now?

For weeks after he had been trapped in this world he had regretted the decision to try out his friend's copy of Sword Art Online. If only he had gone to work that day like he should have. Then this would have never happened to him. He would still be living his boring life.

But then he had met him...Saitama-sensei. The only person in the game to be an 'Immortal Object'. And while anyone else would kill for that designation, in a game where dying was the only thing that was real, Saitama-sensei didn't want it.

Genos had seen him take down a mob with just a single slash of his sword, without a hit to his HP. It was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. That's when Genos knew that Saitama-sensei would be able to help him.

Genos had been floundering in the game. Not a good enough player to join any of the guilds but too restless and angry to just wait in the towns, helpless, for the good players to clear the floors. He couldn't do that. He had to do _something._

With Saitama-sensei he had found his salvation.

At first Saitama-sensei was adamant that he didn't have anything to teach anyone but Genos didn't believe him. Not until he challenged him to a duel and found him impossible to beat, as every time Genos could even get a hit on him it did nothing, the pop up of 'Immortal Object' constantly flashing whenever he tried.

Sensei ended the duel and sat down on the ground next to Genos, stroking his hair while Genos cried. All of his skills, everything he had learned, was just so useless.

"Genos...please. I would give you this designation if I could. I would in a heartbeat, you have a family to go home to, people who need you, if anyone needs this designation it's you."

Saitama-sensei sighed. "But I can't, so I will have to do the next best thing."

Genos looked up.

"What do you mean Sensei?"

"I guess I'll have to come with you. Protect you from these lame bosses, so we can beat the game, together." Saitama-sensei smiled. "How does that sound?"

Genos beamed. "That sounds amazing Saitama-sensei!"

And they had, for the last two years Saitama-sensei had trained him (turned out he actually could teach him something) and they worked alongside the Hero Association, the biggest guild on the front lines to clear floors. Saitama-sensei used his 'Immortal Object' designation to the fullest, taking hits meant for others and attacking with ferocious ability.

Other players were still bitter about Saitama-sensei having this ability, calling him a 'Beater' and looking down on him, despite the fact that he was the main reason they were progressing through the game so fast.

Overall, Saitama-sensei seemed happier than before when they had first met. That was...until they got to the ninetieth floor and Genos was worried. For the last ten floors Genos could see how down Saitama-sensei was. They were on the last floor and he seemed worse than he ever had, Genos could hear him breathing besides him on the bed that they shared. Saitama-sensei conserved their col to an almost ridiculous degree so bedsharing to get a cheaper rate at the inns was common. But Genos knew that Saitama-sensei wasn't sleeping.

"Sensei?"

Saitama-sensei hesitated but replied. "Yes, Genos?"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Genos."

"But Sensei...you seem sad. We're going to be leaving the game soon! Shouldn't you be happy?"

"I am happy Genos." Saitama-sensei said. But Genos could tell from his tone of voice that that wasn't true.

"Sensei...why don't you want to beat the game?" Genos asked. Just the thought of not wanting to beat the game seemed foreign to him despite how much he liked it in here. This wasn't real, it wasn't home, it didn't have his family.

"I have nothing to look forward to outside." Saitama-sensei confessed.

"Nothing at all Sensei?" Genos asked sadly. Did Sensei not want to see him again when they were outside? Or did he not consider seeing Genos in the real world something to 'look forward' to.

"No, Genos. Out there, in the real world I'm an unemployed loser with no skills, no family and no friends. In here...I have something. I'm valuable, I'm wanted." Saitama-sensei sighed. "Nevermind, you don't need to worry about me. I promised I'd beat the game for you so you can get back to your family and that's exactly what I intend to do. Sorry for dumping all my crap on you, you didn't ask for that." Saitama-sensei moved to turn away but Genos grabbed onto him.

"Saitama-sensei. Please don't apologize. I would hope after all this time that as your friend I would be able to be afforded the privilege of hearing out your troubles."

"Are we really friends Genos?" Saitama-sensei asked.

Genos gasped. "Sensei! Why would you ask such a thing?"

“I mean...you keep me around to protect you right? To get you back to your family?"

"What? Sensei...is that what you really think?"

"Well...why wouldn't I Genos? It's true after all."

"No! While I do appreciate everything you do for me that is not true Sensei. I want you around because I am your friend! I want you around because..." Genos blushed. He didn't think he would confess now, he wanted to do it when he saw Sensei for the first time in the real world but he couldn't wait. "I love you Sensei."

Saitama-sensei looked at him shocked with wide eyes.

"Genos...?"

"Saitama-sensei...are you angry?"

"What? No! I'm just surprised, no one has ever said something like that to me before."

"Saitama-sensei...tomorrow we will beat this boss and when we wake up I will find you and I will show you just how much you mean to me."

Saitama-sensei smiled bashfully. "Okay, if you want Genos."

Genos reached across the small space separating them and grabbed ahold of Saitama-sensei's hand. They fell asleep like that.

The next day, they did just as Genos said and defeated the boss with little fanfare from the Hero Association, who claimed all the credit for themselves but it wasn't as if it mattered.

They were free.

When Genos woke up and pulled the Nervegear off of his head he turned to look at the bed next to him in the hospital and saw his Sensei doing the exact same thing...they were right next to each other all along.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I finally gave in to my plot bunny and I wrote OPM/SAO. Please let me know if I should expand this as I have some ideas but I don't know if they're worth writing.


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